Matthew 24 & 1st century events in chronological order

In Matthew 24, Jesus announced around AD 30 things to come. 

You will find below a list of events that were recorded to have happened in the 1st century after these announcements. Links will be provided for an access to biblical and historical sources about those events.

~AD 30

Jesus announced things to come to His 1st century disciples.

Source: Matthew 24 - Entire text for reading purposes (with context in Matthew 23):
Click here

~AD 30 to ~AD 66: 

There was a general period of peace in the Roman Empire, but after that wars started to break out. 

Source: Matthew 24:6 - Wars (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

There were famines and earthquakes.

Matthew 24:7 - Famines and earthquakes (1st century biblical fulfillment?):
Click here

Believers were afflicted, killed and hated.

Matthew 24:9 - Affliction, killed, hated (1st century biblical & historical fulfillment?):
Click here

The love of the majority of believers would have grown cold. 

Matthew 24:12 - Love of the majority will grow cold (1st century biblical fulfillment?):
Click here

False christs and false prophets would have arisen.

Matthew 24:23-25 - False christs and false prophets (1st century biblical fulfillment?):
Click here

False prophets were recorded to even lead people astray in the wilderness.

Matthew 24:26 - In the wilderness (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

The good news was said to have been proclaimed in all creation. 

Matthew 24:14 - Good-news proclaimed (1st century biblical fulfillment?):
Click here

~Around AD 66

Around April of AD 66, the Roman governor Gessius Florus marched with an army of horsemen and footmen against Jerusalem.

Matthew 24:15 & Luke 21:20 - Jerusalem surrounded by armies (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

People from Judea fled and believers from Jerusalem fled to a city called Pella. 

Matthew 24:16 - Flee to the mountains (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

~Spring AD 66

Around May of AD 66, near the start of the First Jewish-Roman War, armies of glittering appearance were seen in the clouds. 

Matthew 24:30 - Coming on the clouds with angels (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

This event happened before sunsetting, just like when a thief would come.  

Matthew 24:43-44 - Coming like a thief (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

A lightning was also seen striking the temple of Jerusalem.

Matthew 24:27 - Coming like the lightning (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

Voices of a multitude were also heard saying that they were departing (as if from the ground).

Matthew 24:31 - Angels gather together His chosen ones (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

~AD 66-73

The First Jewish-Roman War took place. Great tribulation took place during that war. 

Matthew 24:21 - Great tribulation (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

As the Romans armies surrounded Jerusalem and did not let people go out, a great famine took place and a mother nursing her infant in Jerusalem was even reported to eat her own infant. 

Matthew 24:19 - Woe to the ones nursing (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

Many people were lamenting and mourning.

Matthew 24:30 - Tribes of the earth will mourn (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

Many dead bodies were found in the city as a result.

Matthew 24:28 - Wherever the corpse may be (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

~AD 70

Around the middle of the First Jewish-Roman War, the Roman armies would have launched firebrands into Jerusalem in order to start a siege. 

Matthew 24:37-39 & Luke 17:28-29 - Just as the days of Lot & Sodom it rained fire (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

The Roman armies would also have managed to overflow Jerusalem as they attacked it successfully. 

Matthew 24:37-39 - Just as the days of Noah & the flood (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

The Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed as a result. 

Matthew 24:2 - Not a stone left on another (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

Jerusalem was desolated as a result.

Matthew 24:15 & Luke 21:20 - Jerusalem surrounded by armies (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

The general at the head of the Roman armies that destroyed both Jerusalem and its temple would have reported afterward that he merely served as an instrument of divine wrath. 

Matthew 24:19 & Luke 21:23 - Wrath against this people (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

After ~AD 70

Many people from Jerusalem were taken captive as a result of the victory of the Romans in the First Jewish-Roman War.

Matthew 24:19 & Luke 21:24 - Taken captive (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

Believers who fled from Jerusalem to a city called Pella for refuge were reported to have later come back to Jerusalem. 

Matthew 24:16 - Flee to the mountains (1st century historical fulfillment?):
Click here

↺ Click here to return to the Table of Contents.